Video photojournalists must be reporters, too!

September 8th, 2010

In some of the largest media markets in the country, television news crews are made up of reporter, videographer and sound recorder. Until a year or so ago stations in markets like Tucson's sent crews out in pairs of reporter and photojournalist. But that's been changing, and here and elsewhere you're more likely to see reporters like this veteran carrying her own HD camera slung under one arm and a tripod balanced on the opposite shoulder. She'll work like a '60's documentary cameraman, tossing questions from behind the camera and juggling her shots and newscopy in her head as she pieces the package together.

Today's student broadcast journalists must be more than camera-savvy; they have to write, as well. Video production teachers need to add a strong broadcast news writing component to their tech-heavy production curriculum to assure their students' employability as double threats. Unless you assume stations may be more willing to train camera operators to write than reporters to get the necessary shot coverage, you need to start teaching Writing in Stereo's MicWriter for Video.

No one's going to charge you for using it. And we'll answer any questions you might have. Write us at writinginstereo@gmail.com.